WHY END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY
Depends on
MOBILE EXECUTION
Featuring research from
6
17
FROM THE GARTNER FILES:
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
Today’s digital economy hasn’t just enabled an unprecedented level of connectivity—it’s also created customer expectations rooted in immediacy. Customers are no longer content to passively wait for information. Instead, they want updates and information anytime, anywhere—and during any part of the process, whether at the beginning of the order, when the product is being manufactured or when it’s en route for delivery. In order to fulfill these demands—while also enabling benefits like reduced costs, increased efficiency and greater productivity—end-to-end, real-time supply chain visibility must exist. The only way to make this capability a reality? Mobile execution as enabled by a mobile supply chain.
THE MOBILE SUPPLY CHAIN:
MORE THAN DEVICES
These new customer expectations represent a major behavioral shift; one that is fueling a supply chain evolution. Customers are no longer content to be at the end point of a fixed, linear purchase and fulfillment process that starts with a vendor. Instead, they’re at the center of a cohesive, multi-channel experience made possible by a mobile supply chain.
Devices like smartphones, tablets, ruggedized scanners and RFID readers are a key part of a mobile supply chain, but this new business imperative is about so much more than devices. Instead, the mobile supply chain provides the technological infrastructure to mobilize a complete range of supply chain
activities like field sales, field service, asset management and direct store delivery, to name a few. As a result, employees can do business anywhere it happens. At its core, the mobile supply chain is about complete visibility and seamless integration for streamlined execution from start to finish. That means visibility for everybody in the supply chain, from the CEO, to the warehouse manager, all the way to the customer, facilitating communication and collaboration while also preventing breakdowns in supply coordination that could spawn product shortages followed by excess supply that results in unnecessary costs and needless capacity increases.
Inside the production facilities of leading snack foods provider, Old Dutch Foods, you’ll see the mobile supply chain in action. As inbound stock arrives, it’s immediately processed on mobile devices, which enables quick, accurate tracking. Because Old Dutch works with ingredients that have a finite shelf life, speed and accuracy don’t just improve overall efficiency; they also preserve product integrity by reducing spoilage.
Old Dutch Foods’ mobile supply chain also extends outside the four walls,
At its core, the mobile
supply chain is about
complete visibility and
seamless integration for
streamlined execution from
start to finish.
WHY END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY
Depends on Mobile Execution
the need for time-consuming manual updates at the end of each day. Drivers can also complete tasks like printing orders and bills for customers, another way to bypass lag-inducing manual paperwork. Not only do these sorts of mobile supply chain processes help Old Dutch employees work smarter and faster, no matter where they are—they also generate the data that provides visibility into each step of the Old Dutch supply chain so that employees and supply chain trading partners know what’s happening with each Old Dutch product throughout its lifecycle.
If you’re not already thinking about how to enable end-to-end supply chain visibility, consider this perspective: “Your supply chain visibility initiative should be a top priority,” according to Christian Titze, author of a Gartner research report, “Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility by 2016,” (November 1, 2013). “Even if you are on a lower supply chain maturity stage, start evaluating visibility options, but approach them in a more modest and careful way along a road map that allows you to evolve to end-to-end supply chain visibility.”
The logical starting point? Mobility.
WHY MOBILE EXECUTION IS CRITICAL
TO SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY
In today’s market, end-to-end visibility isn’t a value-add; it’s a key supply chain attribute that influences factors like product integrity, efficiency and consumer confidence, among others. Real-time supply chain visibility depends on
mobility—or, more specifically, mobile execution, which is the ability to collect data and perform transactions at any point of activity in the supply chain. Whether you’re monitoring the conditions of crops in the field, creating a sales order in the warehouse, logging crew time on a job site or performing equipment maintenance, a mobile supply chain gives you the technological framework to enable mobile execution. Rather than relying on paper-based processes that inhibit efficiency and accuracy, you can capture task and
performance data anytime, anywhere, which makes real-time visibility possible. Keeping tabs on your supply chain is becoming more challenging as supply chains grow in size and scope, encompassing facilities and sites that may stretch across a regional area, a country or even the globe, not to mention an increasingly complex network of suppliers and other key supply chain stakeholders. With mobile supply chain solutions that function in any location and on any device, regardless of connectivity, you can easily bridge those geographic and logistical obstacles and maintain the real-time visibility that extends beyond simply tracking products throughout their lifecycle.
Real-time supply chain
visibility depends on
mobility—or, more
specifically, mobile
execution, which is the
ability to collect data and
perform transactions at
any point of activity in the
supply chain.
WHY END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY
Depends on Mobile Execution
“…Visibility is not only the traceability of objects along the supply chain, which was its initial functionality, answering questions such as, ‘Where is my material?’ or ‘Where is my order?’” write Christian Titze and Ray Barger Jr. in a Gartner research report, “How to Enable End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility,” (January 23, 2014). “Visibility is about more than tracking and tracing products on their way between business partners—either inbound or outbound— mainly by using electronic data interchange (EDI) technology. Visibility is broader, addressing questions such as, ‘Is my supply chain following the plan?’ and ‘How do I operate the network profitably?’”
This shift in visibility also illustrates the compelling duality that’s an inherent part of the mobile supply chain. Because you’ve mobilized a collection of business processes, you can address any number of granular, product-specific issues including location, integrity and mid-order changes, to name a few. Yet because your entire supply chain is mobilized, you also maintain visibility and control at the highest level, including profitable operations, optimal efficiency and real-time communication between your upstream and downstream trading partners.
Aegion Corporation’s supply chain implementation is an ideal example of the sort of capabilities and benefits you enable as a result of mobile execution. After implementing DSI’s mobile supply chain solutions, Aegion, a global leader in infrastructure protection and maintenance services, can now do business in any location while tracking and collecting key project data. Immediate, real-time data capture not only improves information accuracy; it also improves the overall speed of business.
If you’re dealing with sensitive products or a cold chain, mobile execution-enabled visibility becomes even more important in terms of preserving product integrity, managing costs and, in many cases, protecting consumers—in other words, keeping your cold chain intact. Not only do you need to keep pharmaceuticals or food in a specified temperature range throughout the entire manufacturing and distribution process— you also need to efficiently gather and store the data that proves that particular product stayed within the appropriate temperature range, both for compliance and consumer information purposes. Mobile execution also gives you the capabilities to quickly spot a problem before it comes a possibly dangerous situation—say, for example, if a product is moved from a refrigerator to a shipping container and not scanned. With end-to-end visibility, you see every step of the process—and if something goes awry, you can enable the real-time alerts that immediately trigger action before that product’s lifecycle becomes irreparably compromised.
Interested in implementing similar capabilities throughout your supply chain? That’s where DSI® comes in.
Yet because your entire
supply chain is mobilized,
you also maintain visibility
and control at the
highest level, including
profitable operations,
optimal efficiency and
real-time communication
between your upstream
and downstream trading
partners.
WHY END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY
Depends on Mobile Execution
HOW TO ENABLE YOUR SUPPLY
CHAIN’S MOBILE EXECUTION (AND
REAL-TIME VISIBILITY)
Mobile execution requires a critical first step: a mobile supply chain, made possible by our mobile supply chain solutions. Our robust product portfolio includes a mobile platform that not only serves as your technological foundation—it also seamlessly integrates with your existing enterprise software, turning your system of record into a system of innovation with agile, scalable capabilities to meet current and future business needs and industry requirements.
Build on the functionality of our platform with our suite of solution
accelerators, componentized applications assembled from reusable building blocks that you can use to rapidly create and deploy tailored mobile supply chain applications that do the work you need. Just how quickly can you put the power of mobility to work for your company? The latest round of service pack updates for version 8.1 of our mobile platform give you the tools to configure and deploy a mobile app in just 30 minutes.
Once you have a mobile supply chain in place, you’ll have the necessary framework to enable mobile execution. From entering task and product data as it happens to seamlessly funneling that data into your enterprise software system, you’ll create a continuous stream of real-time information with which you’ll realize end-to-end supply chain visibility.
Take a look at the attached Gartner report, “Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility by 2016,” for additional insight on supply chain visibility and why Gartner recommends this specific timeline. After that, feel free to reach out to info@dsiglobal.com with any questions you might have about the mobile supply chain, mobile execution and enabling real-time, end-to-end supply chain visibility. We’d love to learn more about your business and help create a mobile supply chain strategy that will drive results now and in the years to come.
Source: DSI
Mobile execution requires
a critical first step: a
mobile supply chain.
WHY END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY
Depends on Mobile Execution
End-to-end supply chain visibility is a key capability for becoming demand-driven in a mature value network. This research clarifies why supply chain leaders should aim for implementing visibility and collaboration solutions, and how improved visibility will impact the organization.
` There are many drivers for end-to-end supply chain visibility (E2ESCV), with enterprises gaining significant qualitative and quantitative benefits by collaborating internally and with business partners through the support of enabling technology.
` As visibility and collaboration platforms are maturing, more and more enterprises are implementing solutions and services, allowing them to manage activities along their extended value chains more effectively. ` Sense and respond are critical processes for supply chain visibility. Only
when visibility is coupled with advanced analytics and control will it help companies to obtain the full benefits of functionalities available.
` Your supply chain visibility initiative should be a top priority. Even if you are on a lower supply chain maturity stage, start evaluating visibility options, but approach them in a more modest and careful way along a road map that allows you to evolve to E2ESCV.
` Push vendors to outline their road maps for visibility solutions. Be aware that visibility is not only about sensing data, but also how to model/ simulate it and take appropriate action across your extended ecosystem. ` Once you have your foundational supply chain visibility capabilities in
place, start incorporating emerging analytic capabilities into your decision process with predictive and prescriptive analytics. Only when visibility is coupled with analytics and control will it support an appropriate and profitable response.
` Investigate innovative technologies to also include unstructured data such as “e-listening” about supplier financial and demographical insights. Those technologies support data from different sources as basis for additional opportunity and risk assessments in your global value network.
The deployment of E2ESCV solutions will increase up to 50% by 2018 from less than 20% of end-user organizations being able to provide that visibility in 2016.1
Impacts
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
Strategic Planning
Assumption
Recommendations
E2ESCV is gaining interest in today’s global supply chains because there is an increasing need for network collaboration to reduce risk while maintaining efficiency and improving performance.2 Faster insight into issues means quicker
resolution and less disruption. Emerging visibility solutions and services, mainly with a multitenant architectural setup and provided in the cloud, help to enhance multienterprise, multitier collaboration by providing near-real-time insights to transactions, content and relevant supply chain information. But many end-user organizations are not yet mature enough to take full advantage of the technology available. When implementing visibility solutions, most companies still take a more siloed implementation approach, rather than executing on a road map of initiatives that leads to an end-to-end view. But even at a lower stage of maturity, a siloed visibility project could be started to gain benefits.
Impacts Top Recommendations
As visibility and collaboration platforms are maturing, enterprises are
implementing solutions and services.
•
Have your supply chain visibility initiativeas top priority.
•
Push vendors to outline their road map ofvisibility solutions. There are many drivers for E2ESCV,
with enterprises gaining significant qualitative and quantitative benefits through collaboration.
•
Position visibility solutions in business-caseevaluations as an enabling technology.
•
Evaluate your lead-time master datasettings for accuracy.
Sense and respond are critical processes for executing supply chain visibility.
•
Once foundational supply chain visibilitycapabilities are in place, start incorporating emerging analytic capabilities into the decision process.
•
Investigate innovative technologies to alsoinclude unstructured data as a basis for additional opportunity and risk
assessments.
Figure 1 Impacts and Top Recommendations for E2ESCV
Source: Gartner (November 2013)
Analysis
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
Here we address the following frequently asked questions:
` What are the drivers for supply chain visibility?
` What qualitative and quantitative benefits have companies gained? ` As inventory reduction is one of the key benefits, how can this easily be
achieved?
There are multiple drivers for investing in supply chain visibility solutions and services:
` The major ones are the desire for higher order fulfillment rates/improved service levels, the drive for higher profitability and increased revenue growth, the wish for increased operational efficiency along with
increased competitiveness and having a more agile response to demand, while also reducing risk.
` Other influencing factors are a complex application landscape that prevents visibility, select supply chain functions being heavily outsourced, market pressure to better collaborate with brand owners for better service and the need to enhance data quality as the basis for less manual interventions.
Through the implementation of multienterprise applications offering collaboration and visibility capabilities, companies can gain a number of qualitative and quantitative benefits. The top benefits derived from E2ESCV include reduced inventory levels, better on-time performance, reduced variability in lead times and financial benefits, such as freeing up of working capital or optimized freight charges. Actual numbers from individual visibility initiatives captured in our recent survey state the following:
` Inventory savings of 20% of value ` Increased forecast accuracy of about 25% ` Improved SLAs to consistent 98% levels
` Freight charge reductions from 5% to 3.5% of volume
` Decrease of inventory on stock from just over 10 days to fewer than seven days
` Reduction in workforce by 10%
` And also of interest, calculating the ROI of the implementation is only one year
Impacts & Recommendations
THERE ARE MANY
DRIVERS FOR E2ESCV,
WITH ENTERPRISES
GAINING SIGNIFICANT
QUALITATIVE AND
QUANTITATIVE BENEFITS
BY COLLABORATING
INTERNALLY AND WITH
BUSINESS PARTNERS
THROUGH THE
SUPPORT OF ENABLING
TECHNOLOGY
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
Reduced inventory levels are certainly of utmost importance to enterprises. But how can this easily be achieved, even without the implementation of sophisticated visibility applications? One way would be through differentiated inventory policies by stage of product life cycle, the quality of demand signals and the length of supply lead times. Regarding lead times, companies could use the following procedure to easily gain benefits:
` First, companies often have the wrong baseline data for lead times and variability in their applications, either ERP and/or supply chain management (SCM). So capturing and storing this information over time, recognizing patterns and understanding deviations allow reduced lead times and also stabilize variability.
` Second, operational engagement is necessary to catch exceptions in moves along the extended value chain. With this information in hand, lead times in relevant applications can be revised.
` Third, knowing and understanding all this could be used for structural changes. Global sourcing and supplier management strategies can be rethought and network structures optimized.
Recommendations:
` Position visibility solutions in business-case evaluations as an enabling technology, providing a platform for multienterprise, multitier, process end-to-end collaboration.
` Understand that drivers for visibility are not only enterprise-driven — such as higher profitability, increased revenue growth and better operational efficiency — but also from the market, with business partners looking for improved service levels and better collaboration and data quality from your supply chain.
` Evaluate your lead-time master data settings for accuracy. Understanding patterns and deviations allows for reducing lead-times and stabilizing variability.
` Verify safety stock and safety time parameters. By gaining visibility over time, you could also manually or dynamically adjust those planning parameters.
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
Here we address the following frequently asked questions:
` Why is supply chain visibility critical to a company’s transformation journey?
` What are the layers or capabilities necessary to gain full visibility benefits? ` When is the right time to start an initiative?
E2ESCV is a core capability for a mature demand-driven value network (DDVN). We discuss how to connect demand, supply and product information across the internal and extended value chain via technology, people and business process. This can be initiated through three activities: (1) joint collaboration along processes supported by technology (e.g., collaboration portals); (2) integrated and harmonized information, again supported by technology (e.g., master data management [MDM] solutions); and (3) investments in multienterprise, multitier supplier and channel partner visibility. Values companies have achieved through the implementation of E2ESCV include reduced inventory levels, better on-time performance, reduced variability in lead-times and financial benefits.
The ability to efficiently pre-empt problems and respond to supply chain disruptions is enabled by E2ESCV, but requires additional capabilities and figuring out the right response. This, together with controlled access and transparency, combined with response planning and simulation, allows companies to manage activities more effectively.
There are five layers or capabilities necessary to gain full benefits of supply chain visibility (see Figure 2). Many enterprises still do not take advantage of all five capabilities, and vendors often do not provide all of them in their solution offerings, although their portfolios are maturing.
AS VISIBILITY AND
COLLABORATION
PLATFORMS ARE
MATURING, MORE AND
MORE ENTERPRISES
ARE IMPLEMENTING
SOLUTIONS AND
SERVICES, ALLOWING
THEM TO MANAGE
ACTIVITIES ALONG
THEIR EXTENDED
VALUE CHAINS MORE
EFFECTIVELY
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
The lower three layers are referred to as the foundation, with the
collaboration hub as a platform that allows data sensing (based on different architectural options such as exchanges or portals, but always incorporated in a comprehensive supply chain program with governance or quality as key aspects beside pure architecture). But the top ones are then the ones enabling demand sensing and tailored response based on simulation and optimization, generating value for the company and even the business partner community. There are multiple angles to E2ESCV, with the aim of unifying multienterprise processes. Those are cross-functional and collaborative, spanning not only within the organization and then within functional silos (like plan, source, make, deliver; in reference to the Supply Chain Operations Reference [SCOR] model), but across business functions and also outside the enterprise, providing a real end-to-end process view.
Visibility
Presentation/UIConnectivity
Architecture: single to multichannel
Many-to-Many
EXCHANGE
Supply Chain
PROGRAM
One-to-Many
PORTAL
One Company
ENTERPRISE
Modeling
Simulation, what-if, trade-offs and optimization
Technology Collaboration
Data objects and transactions, data integrationrules engine, events and workflow
Plan and Execute
Sense and Respond
Closed-Loop
Automation
BI/Analytics
Human
Judgment
Sensitivity
Analysis
Business Collaboration
Multidirectional communication, process collaboration and interchange
C
ol
la
borat
io
n H
ub
Pl atf orm /F ou nd ati on Va lu e G en erat ionFigure 2 E2ESCV Collaboration Layers
Source: Gartner (November 2013)
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
A visibility road map will help you to evolve into E2ESCV:
` Stage 3 in our general supply chain maturity model describes internal collaboration; Stage 4 in the maturity model is all about external partner collaboration. So, supply chain visibility applications are a “must” for transforming supply chain from an inside-out to an outside-in endeavor. ` But even at a lower stage of maturity, functionally focused and often
siloed visibility projects should be started to gain benefits. For example, simple track-and-trace capabilities would allow for a better picture of a logistics supply chain, what to expect in a warehouse for example, even without having harmonized ERP systems or implementing a central master data hub (key activities for a lower-stage maturity company).
It is never too early to start. However, those with a lower supply chain maturity should plan their road maps more carefully to ensure that foundational activities can be leveraged into later E2ESCV efforts.
Recommendations:
` Your supply chain visibility initiative should be a top priority. Even if you are on a lower supply chain maturity stage, start evaluating visibility options, but approach them in a more modest and careful way along a road map so you can evolve toward E2ESCV.
` First define the scope of supply chain visibility, then pick which
workstream you want to initially implement, always having an eye toward true end-to-end visibility.
` Understand that you cannot solve end-to-end visibility — with regard to multienterprise and multitier aspects — with your established ERP backbone or with any single vendor solution. Visibility requires an additional collaboration layer on top of core business applications, connecting you with your business partners.
` The value of E2ESCV technology comes from how it enables/supports core supply chain domain capabilities (e.g., in the planning domain), but it requires a lot more functionality than just E2ESCV. Therefore, as of now, it requires only one application, but based on different use cases you might end up with a selection of solutions.
` Carefully evaluate the approach to be taken, from developing in-house to implementing packaged applications to outsourcing. Trade-offs with regard to cost, functionality, risk and spend will impact which approach will be right for you.
` Redesign your information architecture to include cloud-based shared process and information layers, which sit above physical assets, supply chain and operational applications.
` Push vendors to outline their road maps of visibility solutions. Be aware that visibility is not only about sensing data, but also to model/simulate it,
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
Here we address the following frequently asked questions:
` Why is it not enough to simply capture data to get end-to-end supply chain visibility?
` How can unstructured and/or publicly available data help to further increase visibility?
` What are the key hurdles for achieving E2ESCV?
Limiting supply chain data to only being captured in a predominantly structured format will constrain enterprises in their ability to obtain full benefits of functionalities available. Beside the data aspect, there are several challenges to be overcome in order to achieve full benefits. These are certainly not related to technology, but more organizational, such as an internally focused company culture, a siloed organizational setup or the lack of synchronization across processes or data.
Technology can also be a hurdle, in regard to the disparate systems or multiple data exchange standards used. Do not forget that the maturity of the whole ecosystem is a critical element of E2ESCV. Often, the lack of maturity of smaller business partners may hinder collaboration through the use of advanced technologies.
Sense and respond are critical processes for supply chain visibility. Only when visibility is coupled with analytics and control will it help companies to take appropriate action. The starting point is a high-resolution, near-real-time (also referred to as “right-time”), multienterprise picture on a core set of business objects across the supply chain, but then this data needs to be evaluated. With the provisioning of enhanced capabilities, scenarios can be simulated and analyzed in context with trends, anomalies, threats and opportunities so that a best business decision can be made. Finally, action items for business objects are distributed to relevant partners and the impact of those actions are measured (see Figure 3).
SENSE AND RESPOND
ARE CRITICAL
PROCESSES FOR SUPPLY
CHAIN VISIBILITY.
ONLY WHEN VISIBILITY
IS COUPLED WITH
ADVANCED ANALYTICS
AND CONTROL WILL
IT HELP COMPANIES
TO OBTAIN THE
FULL BENEFITS OF
FUNCTIONALITIES
AVAILABLE.
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
We want to stress again that visibility is not only the traceability of objects along the supply chain. This was the initial functionality — the basic coverage answering the question “Where is my material, my order?” and the tracking and tracing of products on the way between business partners, either inbound or outbound, mainly by using electronic data interchange (EDI) technology. It is now the broader ability to answer the questions: “Is my supply chain following the plan?” and “How do I operate the network profitably?” (i.e., ensuring that your company is operating accurately, responding fast and proactively doing things that will then result in better efficiency and performance, and, ultimately, success).
And thinking even one more step ahead, having collected all the data, it could be not only to react to disruptions (referred to descriptive and diagnostic analytics). It is also about avoiding them in the future, utilizing the next level of predictive analytics (looking into what will happen) and prescriptive analytics (how we can make something happen).
Crucial data has many sources — structured and unstructured — where different partners in the extended value chain have different data objects under control and available for collaboration. The evolution of the Internet toward a collaborative network allows users not only to consume content, but also to contribute content and share knowledge. The ease of access to technology and services enables a far greater number of users to publish content and provide their own information. And new services and software (blogs, Google Earth, etc.) are as easy to use as common desktop software, and become increasingly powerful. Having information at the earliest possible point, along with integration of different pieces of information,
Sense/
Capture Evaluate/ Analyze SimulateModel/ Decide RespondAct/ MeasureControl/
Collecting data from heterogeneous sources to get a high-resolution, real-time, multienterprise picture from across the supply chain.
Data (transactions, content and information) is processed and presented in a defined format for analyses. Enhanced capabilities allow scenarios being simulated and analyzed in context of trends, anomalies, threats and opportunities.
Making the best business decision based on results of what-if scenarios, including financial impact analysis.
Plans and action items for business objects are distributed to relevant partners. Business intelligence measures the business impact of the actions taken in the context of operational KPIs.
Figure 3 Visibility Processes and Steps
Source: Gartner (November 2013)
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
Innovative technologies support the collection, interpretation and visualization of unstructured data:
` “E-listening,” for example, involves collecting, structuring and publishing supply-chain-relevant data. Data might be related to technology,
innovation, or suppliers and sources from private organizations, national statistics, news agencies, government and educational institutions, or websites and journals. Algorithms then analyze data and reduce information overload and avoid information overexposure, delivering only useful information to the users.
` Geotagging then allows for visualization of companies’ value chains, with different data sources as the basis for opportunity and risk assessments. Examples would be the visualization and verification of N-tier supplier locations, assessing them regarding disasters and political or financial impacts, thus allowing for multitier supplier selection and supplier management.
Recommendations:
` Promote outside-in thinking in your organization to start to overcome common hurdles, such as an internally focused company culture or a siloed organizational setup.
` Once you have your foundational supply chain visibility capabilities in place, start incorporating emerging analytic capabilities into your decision process, with predictive analytics looking into what will happen and prescriptive analytics examining how you can make something happen. Only when visibility is coupled with analytics and control will it allow taking an appropriate and profitable response.
` Take advantage of enhanced technology capabilities once you have captured data. These can offer simulation, modeling and what-if scenario capabilities, allowing for the best business decision.
` Investigate innovative technologies that also include unstructured data such as “e-listening” about supplier financial and demographical insights. Those technologies support the collection, interpretation and visualization of data from different sources as a basis for additional opportunity and risk assessments in your global value network.
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
1 Current position and outlook:
` End-user organizational view — There is a lot of discussion about E2ESCV, with end-user organizations recognizing the importance — yet when coming to actual initiatives it is mainly siloed and within one supply chain domain and not end to end. One of the key reasons is the lack of maturity of the ecosystem, but also the inability to articulate a clear ROI for investing in such solutions. So, we see a gap in understanding and execution.
` Vendor/provider view — On the other side, software solutions offer a large variety of visibility capabilities, from a broader range of
functionalities down to niche offerings for either industry or functionality. Currently, no provider offers a comprehensive “visibility suite” packaged application or services, with end-to-end capabilities supporting a multitude of use cases.
With chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) having visibility as one of their top priorities, initiatives should rise, success stories made public and the companies’ mindsets shifted from “enterprise” thinking to a collaborative “community” approach.
2 On 23 and 24 September 2013, Gartner hosted its annual European supply
chain executive conference in London. Nearly 400 participants from end-user organizations and vendors attended this event, with a comprehensive agenda focusing on the reimagining of the supply chain. Supply chain visibility was one of the highest demand topics. It was debated at roundtables, presented with customer case studies and heavily discussed in numerous client interactions throughout the event.
Source: Gartner RAS Research Note G00258375 Christian Titze, 3 April 2015
Evidence
Why Supply Chain Leaders Should Aim for End-to-End
Supply Chain Visibility by 2016
About DSI
®If you’re ready to use mobile execution to enable complete visibility across your supply chain, we can make that plan a reality. A mobile supply chain, which provides end-to-end visibility and execution across the extended supply chain, will give you the agile framework that enables mobile execution—or, in other words, the ability to collect data and perform transactions at any point of activity in the supply chain.
A mobile supply chain is now a vital part of your success. And it’s what we do best. As the Mobile Supply Chain Company™, DSI® provides companies
with the tools to meet the needs of the digital economy and the demands of their specific industries. DSI’s enterprise-grade mobile platform provides the foundation of a scalable, repeatable application development practice so that you have a single platform with which to build a full range of mobile experiences. And with our comprehensive solution accelerators, you’ll have complete componentized applications that can immediately be deployed to any device, anytime or can be tailored to fit your specific business processes. As a result, companies have the robust technological tools and foundation to enable the collaboration, visibility, responsiveness and fact-based decision-making required to change the way they do business, all while leveraging existing enterprise software for a maximum return on investment while preserving data and process integrity across existing systems of record. Our mobility solutions can be easily tailored to fit your business and industry requirements. And because our platform supports rapid development and deployment, you can efficiently assemble mobile supply chain solutions and easily adapt them to accommodate evolving business needs—all without the need for specialized developer skills.
Learn more: www.dsiglobal.com.
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WHY END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY
Depends on Mobile Execution
Why End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility Depends on Mobile Execution is published by Data Systems International (DSI). Editorial content supplied by DSI is independent of Gartner analysis. All Gartner research is used with Gartner’s permission, and was originally published as part of Gartner’s syndicated research service available to all entitled Gartner clients. © 2015 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. The use of Gartner research in this publication does not indicate Gartner’s endorsement of DSI’s products and/or strategies. Reproduction or distribution of this publication in any form without Gartner’s prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. Although Gartner research may include a discussion of related legal issues, Gartner does not provide legal advice or services and its research should not be construed or used as such. Gartner is a public company, and its shareholders may include firms and funds that have financial interests in entities covered in Gartner research. Gartner’s Board of Directors may include senior managers of these firms or funds. Gartner research is produced independently by its research organization without input or influence from these firms, funds or their managers. For further information on the independence and integrity of Gartner research, see “Guiding Principles on Independence and Objectivity” on its website, http://www.gartner.com/technology/about/ombudsman/omb_guide2.jsp.
